Have a gander at the pics

FTStuart Brennan

The kind of day when title fortunes turn

There were plenty of faults to pick out of City in this performance, but their enduring ability to “fight to the end” wasn’t one of them!

And it was highly appropriate that the man who claims he coined that phrase, Sergio Aguero, was the one who scored the winner with six minutes left, just after Yaya Toure’s thunderous volley had drawn the teams level.

Aguero looked like a man who needed a goal, and hopefully that will see him back in the groove.

But the player whose name was being sung, loud and clear, at the end was that of Fernandinho – perhaps the only man in sky blue who combined passion and utter commitment with a high degree of quality, even when he ended up playing centre half!

Three big points that see the Blues jump into second place, three points behind leaders Arsenal. The kind of day when title fortunes turn.

Eh?

Strange

Bony comes on. But it’s not for the tiring Aguero, rather centre back Mangala.

73mins

Time for another change

Bony getting ready to come on

69mins

Save!

De Bruyne cracks one in from the edge of the box after a one-two with Silva but Gomes is down smartly to turn it away.

67mins

Chance!

De Bruyne cuts it back froim the left wing after Mangala’s smart interception. But Toure can’t keep his angled shot down.

66minsStuart Brennan

Show you want it

One little incident a couple of minutes ago summed up the problem for City here – Watford had a counter-attack which broke down and when the ball was cleared to halfway there were FOUR Blues players still in the Hornets half.

That kind of commitment is not good enough for a team that has designs on winning trophies.

The defence is being savaged by critics, but only Fernandinho is offering them any help - and he has been City’s best attacking player as well!

64mins

Close call

Fernandinho wants a penalty as he tries - and fails - to get on the end of a cross. Nothing doing.

63minsSimon Bajkowski

Wat's happening

City fans were booing Ben Watson in the first half, a throwback to his headed goal in the 2013 Fa Cup final that cost the Blues a trophy and contributed to Roberto Mancini getting the boot. They may boo him more now, but his pinpoint delivery - turned in so elegantly if unexpectedly by Kolarov - was rewarded for showing more accuracy in the box than City have come up with so far.

62mins

Franny not impressed

59mins

Sub

Navas on for Sterling

55mins

Kolarov own goal - but he's not the only one at fault

54mins

Oh dear

Watson’s inswinging corner glances off Kolarov and into the City goal. Sloppy.

54mins

GOAL! Watford 1-0 City (Kolarov, og)

Ouch

53minsSimon Bajkowski

City need a boost

Watford look to be the more directly threatening in this half, having emerged rejuvenated from the break. City are struggling to string their passing game together but as the hosts push forward more, space will open up for the likes of De Bruyne and Silva to show some of their magic.